Typographical machine



D. S. KENNEDY.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, I920.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Q v 0 a INVENTOR BY I I %QLMMATTORNEYS D. S. KENNEDY. TYPOGRAPHICALMACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1920. 1,397,971 Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

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m T N E V m D. S. KENNEDY. TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE. APPLICATION man JULY3. 1920.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

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w w 0 U9? U RIP UUGDUUGUEPGUUG a a? a? U "IPUDZPUU R O T N E v W ATTNEYI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID S. KENNEDY, OF BROOKLYN, N RV YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO IMERGENT'HALERLINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Pate;

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed July 3, 1920. Serial No. 393,856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVIE) S. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Typographical Machines,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to typographical machines, such as linotypemachines of the general organization represented in Letters Patent to O.lilcrgenthaler K0. $36,532. wherein circulating matrices are releasedfrom a magazine by the manipulation ot a keyboard in the order in whichtheir characters are to appear in print and then assembled in line, thecomposed line trans terred to the nice or a mold, the mold filled withmolten metal to form a slug or linotype against the matrices whichproduce the type characters thereon, and the matrices thereafterelevated and returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazinefrom which they started. My present invention is directed to an improvedlocking device for the keyboard of such machines and also contemplatesthe provision of means whereby the locking and unlocking of the keyboard is etlected automatically at times when the finger-keys should notbe actuated, all as will be fully pointed out in the detaileddescription to follow.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 have shown my invention merely inpreferred form and by of example, and as applied to a machine of thclass stat d, but obviously many changes and alterations may be madetherein and in its mode of application, which will still be comprisedwithin its spirit. Generally speaking, l desire it to he understood thatI do not limit inyseli to any specific form or embodiment except in sofar as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of the keyboard of alinotype machine having my improved lon ing device applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, with the parts broken away at the rear,showing the loc ing device in active position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the keyboard, with some of the parts brokenaway and omitted, as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. -1- is a detail View;

5 is a front elevation of a portion of a linotype machine illustratingthe automatic adjusting connections for the keyboard locking device;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the lower portion oi the keyboard'asrepresented in Fig. 5 with certain parts shown in section to illustratethe manner in which they cooper c keyboard herein illustrated is of therep 2.1- linotype variety comprising the supporting frame A and theseries of horizon tal finger-keys or key levers B pivotally mountedtherein for vertical movement upon the transverse rods A which sustainthem in rows at different levels in the customary way. The finger-keysare guided in their vertical movements by the front and rear plates Aand A fixed to the supporting frame A. and formed with elongated slotswherein the opposite ends of the finger keys are arranged, it beingunderstood of course that the extent of the slots is such as to permitthe required actuating movement of the finger-keys. The front plate Awhich occupies an inclined position on the supporting frame to cooperatewith the forward ends of the finger keys in the several rows, is clearlyillustrated in several'ot the figures, its elon ated slots beingdesignated a. At their rear ends, the linger keys B are engaged with thesingle series of vertically movable bars or slides B" connected at theirupper ends to the two series of trip dogs B controlling the engagementof the cams B of the yokes B with the power-driven rolls B" for theoperation of the escapement actuating rods or reeds B The foregoingparts and their mode of operation are so well known that any furtherdescription would be superfluous, but if desired reference may be had tothe Dodge Patent No. 530,931.

As before stated, my invention is directed to an improved locking deviceto prevent the actuation of the finger keys when. the

teyboard is not in use. stance (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), such locking deviceis in the form of a plate C slidably mounted upon the fixed front plateA and iormedwith elongated slots 0 through which the forward ends of thefinger keys B ex- In the present iii-- tend, the plate C thus beingpractically a duplicate of the plate A It will be seen, therefore, thatby adjusting the plate C backwardly and forwardly upon the fixed plate Athe finger keys B may be locked or I of the finger keys, which are thuslocked against depression or actuation. In other words and more broadlyspeaking, the keyboard is provided with adjustable locking meansarranged to be engaged with and disengaged from the finger keys directlyand notwithstanding their disposition at different levels, so as toprevent or permit the actuation of the keys according to the adjustmentof the locking means. In addition to its locking function justdescribed,

the plate C also serves when adjusted rearwardly to active position torestore the finger keys and the connected parts to their propercondition. Thus, if at the time of adjustment of the locking plate, afinger key should bedepressed (due for instance to the binding orsticking of its actuating slide 13 the plate by acting with a cam effectbeneath the forward end of such finger key will rock it backup to itsnormal horizontal position.

Any suitable means may be employed for adjusting the locking plate toand holding it in its adjusted positions. For such purpose, thereisherein provided a rotary cam plate D (Fig. 4) pivoted by a pin D to thefixed front plate A and arranged in engagement with the forward edge ofthe plate C. As will be apparent from the drawings, when turnedanti-clockwise, the cam plate pushes the locking plate rearwardly toactive position as shown by the full lines in Fig. 3, and when turnedclockwise, allows the looking plate to slide forwardly by gravity toinactiveposition as indicated by the dotted lines in said figure. Tofacilitate its turning movements, the cam plate is provided with adepending grip or handle portion D which also serves as a stop to arrestthe plate in its diiferentpositions.

It is particularly noted that, in the fore going arrangement, the partsare extremely simple and can be made at small cost and applied to thekeyboard without the slightest difficulty or delay, and this withoutinvolving any radical alteration in the existing parts of such keyboard.In addition, the arrangement is "strong, durable and compact and suchthat it may be easily and conveniently manipulated. These and otheradvantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 7

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the arrangement therein illustrated isintended to provide for the locking and unlocking of the finger keysautomatically by the assembling elevator E wherein the matrices arecomposed in lineas they are released from the magazine by themanipulation of the key board. The elevator normally occupies thereceiving position shown by the full lines in Fig. 5, but after thecomposition of each line, it is raised to the delivery positionindicated by the dotted lines in said figure for the transfer of thecomposed line therefrom by the shifter E and then low- 'ered to itsreceiving position for the composition of the next line. These raisingand lowering movements of the elevator are effected, as usual, by meansof the hand lever E connected thereto through the transverse rock shaftE the rearwardly expanding arm E and link E". In carrying out myinvention, I make use of the locking plate- C above described andprovide connections between it and the elevator whereby the plate ismoved to its active and inactive positions as the elevator is moved fromand to its normal receiving position, respectively. To this end, therock shaft E is equipped with a collar F formed with a lip or shoulder Farranged to cooperate with a lug F on the upper side of a bell cranklever F pivoted to the fixed front plate A of the keyboard. This lever Fat one end engages the lower edge of the locking plate 0 and at itsopposite end is connected to a spring F pulling. thereon from a fixedpart of the keyboard frame. By reason of this construction, when theassembling elevator is in its lowermost or receiving position as shownin Figs. 5 and 6, the lip F is in engagement with the lug F and holdsthelever F retracted so as to permit the locking plate 0 to occupy itsforward or inactive position as required; but when the elevator israised from its receiving position, the lip F is disengaged from the lugF due to the turning of the rock-shaft E (see'the dotted lines in Fig.6), and releases the spring F", which thereupon operates the lever F andshifts the locking plate C rearwardly to its active position. Thislatter condition of the parts will maintain until the elevator isrestored to receiving position, when of course the lip F re'e'ngages thelug F and withdraws the lever F against the action of the spring F so asto permit the locking plateto slide forwardly by gravity back to itsinactive position.

There are times when the operator may wish to lockthe finger keysagainst actuation when the assembling elevator is inreceiving position,as for instance when he leaves the machine or desires to makeadjustments or repairs. The automatic connections above described aretherefore arranged to be made or broken at will, which is hereinaccomplished simply by attaching the collar F to the rock shaft E" bymeans of a pin and slot connection F As apparent, a slight axialmovement of the collar F breaks its connection with the rock shaft E andreleases the spring F", which acts immediately to shift the lockingplate rearwardly to active position. It hardly needs to be stated thatthe force of the spring F should be and is insufficient alone to turnthe rock shaft E when the collar F is operatively connected thereto.

As previously stated, I have herein shown my invention only in preferredform and by way of example and as applied to a particular kind ofmachine, but obviously many modifications and alterations therein and inits mode of application will suggest themselves to those skilled in theart without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode ofoperation, what I claim is as follows 1. A keyboard for typographicalmachines including, in combination, a supporting frame, a series offinger-keys movably mounted therein and disposed at different levels,and locking means adjustable to active and inactive positionindependently of the actuation of the finger-keys and ar ranged to beengaged with and disengaged from the finger-keys directly so as toprevent or permit their actuation according to the adjustment of saidlocking means.

2. A keyboard for typographical machines including, in combination, asupporting frame, a series of finger-keys movably mounted therein anddisposed at different levels, and a locking plate mounted on thesupporting frame and adjustable to active or inactive position asdesired independently of the actuation of the finger- :eys, the saidplate having portions arranged to be engaged with and disengaged fromthe fingerkeys directly as it is adjusted to its active and inactivepositions, respectively.

A keyboard for typographical machines including, in combination, asupporting frame, a series of finger-keys movably mounted therein, and alocking plate mounted on the supporting frame and formed with elongatedslots through which the fingerkeys extend, the said locking plate beingadjustable so as to shift the end walls of its slots into or out ofengagement with the finger-keys as desired.

l. A keyboard for typographical machines including, in combination,supporting frame, a series of finger-keys movably mounted therein, and alocking plate mounted on the supporting frame at the front and formedwith elongated slots through which the forward ends of the finger-keysextend, the said locking plate being adjustable so as to shift the endwalls of its seats into or out of engagement with the finger-keys asdesired.

A keyboard for typographical machines including, in combination, asupporting frame, a series of finger-keys movably mounted therein, afront plate fixed to the supporting frame and formed with elongatedslots wherein the forward ends of the finger-keys are movably arranged,and a locking plate slidably mounted 011 the fixed front plate andformed with corresponding elongated slots through which the fingerkeysextend, the said locking plate being adjustable to active or inactiveposition so as to shift its slots out of or into registry with those ofthe fixed front plate and thereby prevent or permit the actuation of thefinger-keys according to the adjusted position of the locking plate.

6. A keyboard as specified in claim 1 and also including manuallyoperated means for positively holding the locking means therein referredto in active position.

7. A linotype machine equipped with a keyboard as specified in claim 1and provided with connections between the locking means of said keyboardand some movable part of the machine; whereby the locking and unlockingof the finger-keys is effected automatically at predetermined periods.

8. In a linotype machine, the combination of aseries of finger keys, alocking plate formed with elongated slots wherein the forward ends ofthe finger keys are arranged and adjustable to shift the end walls ofits slots into and out of engagement with the finger keys so as toprevent or permit the actuation of the finger keys according to theposition of the locking plate, and automatic means for effecting therequired adjustments of the locking plate at predetermined periods.

9. In a linotype machine, the combination of a series of finger keys, alocking plate formed with elongated slots wherein the forward ends ofthe finger keys are arranged and adjustable to shift the end walls ofits slots into and out of engagement with the finger keys so as toprevent or permit the actuation of the finger keys according to theposition of the locking plate, an assembling elevator movable to andfrom matrix receivingpositions, and connections between said elevatorand the locking plate whereby the latter is adjusted to its active andinactive positions as the elevator is moved from and to its matrixreceiving position, respectively.

10. In a linotype machine, the combination of means for releasingmatrices from the magazine, including a series of movable actuatingelements disposed at different levels, and locking means adjustable toactive and inactive position independently of said actuating elementsand arranged to be engaged With and disengaged from the actuatingelements directly so as to prevent or permit their actuation accordingto the adjustment of said locking means.

11. In a linotype machine the combination of means for releasingmatrices from the magazine, including a series of pivoted actuatingelements disposed at different levels, and a locking plate formed Withelongated slots through which the actuating elements extend, the saidlocking plate being adjustable to shift the end Walls of its slots intoor out of engagement with the actuating elements as desired.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my 20,

signature hereto. 7

DAVID S. KENNEDY.

